India vs West Indies: 'Unlucky' Marlon Samuels Joins Chris Gayle on Elite List
Marlon Samuels, whose seventh ODI ton went in vain, became the third West Indian batsman after Chris Gayle and Desmond Haynes to register two hundreds in a bilateral series against India.
Marlon Samuels scored his seventh century in one-day internationals but it went in vain as West Indies lost the match against India by 59 runs at Dharamsala. Samuels hit 112 off 106 deliveries, laced with nine fours and six maximums, to score his third ton against India in 38 matches.
Samuels came in to bat at his number four position after West Indies were reduced to 27 for two in 11 overs chasing a stiff target of 331. While Samuels played with ease against spin and pace, West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Samuels was involved in two fifty-run stands as he waged a lone war. Along with Darren Bravo (40), he stitched 56 runs for the third wicket and was also involved in a 57-run partnership with Andre Russell (23-ball 46). Samuels and Russell's stand was West Indies' second-highest partnership for the seventh wicket vs India, next only to the 83 between Denesh Ramdin and Runako Morton at Colombo (RPS) on August 7, 2005. (Also Read: West Indies Batting Makes Sunil Gavaskar 'Sing' Old Bollywood Chartbuster)
Samuels, however, completed his ton off 97 balls with the help of seven fours and six sixes as West Indies folded for 271 in 48.1 overs to hand India a 2-1 series victory. This is the second time that his hundred has come in a losing cause. The first being 106 not out vs Pakistan at Gros Islet on July 21, 2013. (Match in Pics)
The 33-year-old Jamaican has become the third West Indian to register two hundreds in a bilateral series against India, joining Chris Gayle - three in seven innings in India in 2002-03 and Desmond Haynes - two in five innings in the West Indies in 1988-89. (West Indies Cricket Will Suffer for Pulling Out of India Tour, Says Gavaskar)
He has also become the fourth Caribbean batsman to post two centuries in three matches in a bilateral series, joining Gordon Greenidge (vs New Zealand in 1986-87), Phil Simmons (vs South Africa in 1991-92) and Chris Gayle (vs Pakistan in 2008-09). (More Stats: India on a Roll Versus West Indies in ODIs Since January 2007)
His two tons in three matches helped him end the series as a leading run-getter - 254 runs at an average of 127.00. He is now the fourth West Indian batsman to manage 250 runs or more in a three-ODI bilateral series.
(With inputs from Rajesh Kumar)